E. coli outbreak in Luxembourg

The Luxembourg Ministries of Health and Agriculture have confirmed: as of 26 September, the country's laboratories have registered 35 cases of E. coli contamination, including 5 highly dangerous strains capable of causing severe complications.

Two children were among those who fell ill. One of them, a 2-year-old child, was hospitalised at Luxembourg's CHL hospital with a diagnosis of haemolytic-uremic syndrome, a rare but dangerous complication that can lead to kidney failure. According to ministers Martine Deprez and Martine Hansen, the child's condition is currently assessed as stable.

Infection is caused by strains of E. coli that produce Shiga toxin. Symptoms include fever, watery or bloody diarrhoea, vomiting and severe abdominal pain. Such strains are labelled as enterohaemorrhagic and require special medical attention.

The case of the child in Luxembourg may be epidemiologically linked to similar infections in Germany, authorities said. An investigation is under way to analyse possible common sources of contamination. So far, no specific product has been identified, but authorities emphasise that if the source is found, it will be immediately withdrawn from sale and recalled from the market.